Basic Information
The Resplendent (very beautiful) Quetzal is considered one of the most beautiful birds in the world, with shiny green feathers that seem to change color as they move!
Quetzals - Facts for Kids
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Facts About Quetzals For Kids
Quetzals belong to the Trogon family of birds, and their science name is Pharomachrus mocinno!
Quetzals usually hang out alone or with one partner. But when they do gather, a group of quetzals is called a “flock” — just like with most birds!
Wild quetzals usually live between 20–25 years! These beautiful birds need very special care, so they do best in their natural forest homes in Central America.
Male quetzals can grow up to 40 inches (101.6 centimeters) long, including their amazing tail feathers!
Male resplendent quetzals weigh between 7 and 8 ounces (around 200–225 g), which is about as heavy as a baseball!
Female quetzals are a little smaller than males and don’t have the long tail feathers, making it easy to tell them apart!
Baby quetzals are called chicks, and they hatch feather‑free with closed eyes — completely without their parents’ beautiful feathers!
Quetzals are frugivores (fruit-eaters), which means they mainly eat fruit, especially wild avocados called aguacatillos!
Physical Characteristics
Male quetzals grow special tail feathers during mating season (when they find partners) that can be up to 3 feet (0.9 meters) long!
Quetzals (and all trogons) have a one-of-a-kind toe setup called heterodactyl—that means two toes point forward and two point backward, but in a special order only they use! It helps them hang onto branches like little tree ninjas.
The quetzal’s feathers are actually brown, but they have tiny parts that make them appear bright green!
Quetzals have short, soft beaks that are great for picking and swallowing soft fruits — like tiny wild avocados!
A quetzal’s wingspan (distance from wing tip to wing tip) can stretch about 20 to 24 inches (50–60 cm) — about as wide as a large laptop or notepad!
Quetzals have special oil-making parts that help keep their feathers waterproof (water can’t soak through) in the rainy cloud forests!
The word “quetzal” comes from an Aztec (old Mexican people) word meaning “brilliant tail feather”!
Quetzals have big bright eyes made for spotting tasty fruit in the dim light of the cloud forest.
Behavior & Intelligence
Quetzals are mostly solitary (alone) birds, only coming together during mating season!
Male quetzals do special flight shows to attract females, flying in spirals above them and diving down with their long tail feathers rippling behind them!
Quetzals communicate (talk to each other) through various calls, including a deep, mellow (soft) tone that sounds like “kyow” or “gwok”!
Quetzals are most active during early morning and late afternoon, spending the middle of the day resting!
Quetzals can hover (stay in one place in the air) like hummingbirds when picking fruit from trees!
Quetzals create their nests by carving holes in soft, rotting trees using their beaks — sometimes they make new holes, and sometimes they expand old woodpecker holes to make them just the right size!
Both male and female quetzals take turns keeping their eggs warm and caring for their chicks!
Quetzals are excellent flyers but prefer to stay within their home territory of about 15 to 25 acres in size — that’s like 9 to 19 soccer fields!
Quetzals have been seen using the same nesting spots for many years!
Habitat & Survival
Quetzals live in cloud forests at heights between 4,000 and 10,000 feet (1,219-3,048 meters)!
Cloud forests are special because they’re always covered in clouds, providing the moisture (wetness) quetzals need!
Quetzals need old-growth forests (very old forests) because they nest in naturally rotting trees!
Quetzals can fly through thick forest canopy thanks to their ability to quickly change direction!
Quetzals have excellent camouflage (hiding colors) — their green feathers blend perfectly with forest moss and leaves!
Quetzals help spread forest seeds through their droppings (poop), making them important for forest health!
Life Cycle
Female quetzals usually lay 2 eggs per clutch (group of eggs), which are pale blue in color!
Quetzal eggs take about 17–19 days to hatch (break open with baby birds inside)!
Young quetzals learn to fly when they’re about 3 weeks old!
Male quetzals don’t grow their long tail feathers until they’re about 3 years old!
Quetzals usually start breeding (making babies) when they’re about 2–3 years old!
Quetzal parents feed their chicks yummy insects at first, then add fruits after a week or two!
Quetzal usually have one breeding season per year, usually during the spring!
Diet & Feeding
Quetzals love eating wild avocados — they can swallow the whole fruit and then spend time digesting before eating more!
Quetzals swallow small fruits whole and spit up (regurgitate) the seeds later!
During breeding season, quetzals add insects and small lizards to their fruit diet!
Baby quetzals need protein (special nutrients) from insects to grow their beautiful feathers!
Conservation & Population
There are fewer than 50,000 quetzals left in the wild!
The Resplendent Quetzal is listed as “Near Threatened” (might be in danger) by the International Union for Conservation of Nature!
The biggest threat to quetzals is the loss of their cloud forest habitat (home)!
Guatemala has made the quetzal its national bird and named its money after it!
Quetzals cannot survive in captivity (cages or zoos) for long periods, making habitat protection very important!
